The embodiments of the present invention relate to eyeglasses. More particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to eyeglasses of the folding and telescoping variety.
The trend in the eyeglass industry is to make eyeglasses smaller, lighter and more compact. Additionally, manufacturers desire a reduction in the manufacturing costs, while continuing to produce improved and more desirable products. As such, manufacturers have turned to injection molded parts which cost far less to mass produce than similar metal parts. Unfortunately, plastic parts have been more fragile, cumbersome and subject to breakage than their metal counter-parts.
However, with the advent of the new cross-linked polymers, plastic parts have become much more advantageous in the eyeglass industry. Cross-linked polymer plastics can be manufactured with thinner cross sections, while increasing the associated fracture resistance, than that of the previous injection molded plastic parts. In addition, the plastic parts may be manufactured in a wide variety of vivid colors.
The embodiments of the present invention describe a new and unique compact style of plastic folding and telescoping eyeglass frames for both rimmed and rimless style eyeglasses. A bi-folding bridge member adds flexibility to the eyeglasses and provides an easy and simple folding method. Conventionally, folding eyeglasses have been fabricated of metal to withstand stresses experienced when the eyeglasses are in an extended and usable state. In the past, plastic was avoided because of its brittle nature and to achieve the foldability. Therefore, the plastic thickness was increased to a point that the eyeglasses were unattractive. The emergence of new and advanced plastics have increased strength and resistance to fracture thereby facilitating the unique telescoping temple member and bi-folding bridge of the embodiments of the present invention.
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a unique style of plastic folding and telescoping eyeglass frames for both rimmed and rimless eyeglass styles. The eyeglass frames of the embodiments of the present invention have a bi-folding bridge that allows them to be folded into a compressed state. The folding feature is achieved by misaligning pivot points on a central link of the bi-folding bridge so that the compressed temple members are offset in a vertical plane when folded thereby facilitating an optimum folded eyeglass thickness. The bi-folding bridge member is particularly effective with eyeglasses having excessively curved lenses which do not fold flat when equipped with only a single hinge bridge member. Moreover, metal folding eyeglasses fold into a more compressed state since their components are much thinner with a more rigid frame work while the previous plastic frames required a thicker cross section. Thus it has been found that a second hinge member is desirable to optimize the thickness of the plastic folded frames and lenses.
The embodiments of the present invention also incorporate temples that telescope for length adjustment and storage. The temple sections are comprised of two or more interconnected sections having expanded ends and mating keys that translate the length of each section. A first temple section joins a temple hinge unit by means of a reduced end that engages a temple unit protrusion. The temple hinge unit may mount directly to the eyeglass lenses for the rimless styles or may be incorporated into lenses for conventional rims that encompass the lenses of the eyeglasses. Each a right and left eyeglasses temple member assembly has an opposing curvature that retains the eyeglasses on a person""s head.
Each temple member assembly is comprised of at least two interconnected telescoping sections. Each temple section maintains the curvature of its corresponding completed right or left temple member assembly. A first end of a front right and front left temple section is permanently attached to the temple hinge unit while each succeeding temple section has an expanded end that conforms to the shape of a central chamber of a preceding temple section with a slight interconnected fit. The expanded end of each temple section is interconnected within each preceding temple section by a thickened end wall. The thickened end wall, along with a thinner wall of each temple section, maintains a mating key that allows the temple sections to slide laterally while preventing any section rotation. The keyed configuration sections may be rounded, squared, or any other shape that mates within itself. The rear temple section of each temple member assembly is solid without any central chamber thereby adding to the rigidity of the smaller diameter temple section while maintaining the curvature of the completed temple member assembly.
While the objects of the embodiments of the present invention are numerous, several are listed herein for reference.
A first object of the embodiments of the present invention is to create a pair of eyeglasses with plastic frames that fold into an area as small as possible. Another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to fold eyeglasses with curved lenses in as small an area as possible by incorporating two hinge units in a bridge member.
Another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to create a pair of folding eyeglasses that fold easily and in a simple and understandable fashion. Another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to create a pair of eyeglasses with plastic frames wherein the temples, comprised of two or more interconnected sections, interact laterally for length adjustment and storage. Another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to create a pair of eyeglasses with translatable temple sections that are equipped with unique anti-rotation mating keys.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent and reside in the details of the construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.